As Rich mentioned, I am in the process of becoming the exclusive North American distributor for Chamonix ULF cameras and film holders. We hope to be up and running and ready to start taking orders by the end of the month.
I'd like to add a little information and clear up a couple misconceptions listed above.
First, just let me say I have nothing but respect and admiration for Dick Phillips. He is a true innovator, a master camera builder and a heck of a nice guy. I would never do anything to offend Dick or harm his business in any way. In fact, when I received a 7x17 Chamonix a couple months ago, the first thing I did was call Dick. As others have noted, the Chamonix cameras are clearly based on Dick's design. There are a few minor changes, but the basic design is the same.
From prior conversations, I knew the batch of 7x17s Dick built last spring would be the last ULF cameras he would ever build. Still, I wanted to get Dick's input before agreeing to distribute the Chamonix cameras and holders. In his usual gracious and humble manner, Dick told me he was flattered that someone liked his design enough to copy it. He not only gave me his approval to import the Chamonix camera and holders, he encouraged me to do so - recognizing there is an eager market for ULF cameras and holders that needs to be filled - especially with Dick himself leaving this market segment.
From my phone conversation with Dick Phillips I also learned that the batch of 8x10 Explorers he plans to build this year will be the last 8x10s he intends to build. The physical labor required to build these cameras, and the time involved is considerable. Dick would like to start spending his retirement years pursuing other leisure activities - including photography. He's definitely earned the right to do so.
While Chamonix also makes an 8x10, we have no immediate plans to import this model. The 8x10 market is already well served, and frankly I just wouldn't feel right selling a camera based on his design while Dick is still making and selling cameras in this size. Once Dick's last batch of 8x10s is built and sold, we may revisit the possibility of importing the 8x10 Chamonix. For now, our focus is on the 7x17 and larger ULF market.
While the Shen-Hao name is better known to most in this forum, the Chamonix cameras actually pre-date the Phillips based Shen-Hao FCL series (including their 7x17 model). While the Chamonix brand may be new to many outside of China, they have been making ULF cameras and holders for the rapidly growing domestic Chinese ULF market since 2003. The Chamonix design is much closer to the original Phillips than the Shen-Hao. And while the materials differ from those used by Dick Phillips, the Chamonix cameras share Dick's basic philosophy of building lightweight, rigid cameras with only the features necessary to get the job done. Unnecessary "features" add cost, add weight and reduce rigidity. In fact, the 7x17 camera I received from Chamonix for evaluation actually weighs less than a genuine 7x17 Phillips. This particular sample weighs 8 lb. 14½ oz. (although the official advertised weight for this model will be 9.25 lbs to allow for minor sample-to-sample variations).
Like the Phillips and the Shen-Hao, the maximum bellows extension on the 7x17 Chamonix is rather limited. This is a design trade-off necessary to meet the other desired attributes of lightest possible weight while still maintaining sufficient rigidity at full extension. That said, I have successfully used the 600mm Fujinon C on the Chamonix for general landscape photography. Obviously, you can't do close-ups with this lens on this camera, but with a maximum extension of 610mm, the 7x17 Chamonix has enough extension to use this lens (ftf = 573mm) for more distant subjects. For those who wish to do true macro work, it is possible to reach 1:1 magnification with a 305mm G Claron on the 7x17 Chamonix. In a heavier camera, I would expect a longer maximum bellows extension, but for a 9 lb. 7x17, a 24" (610mm) max. extension seems like a very reasonable compromise.
When I built my 7x17 Franken-ARCA last year, based on feedback I received in this forum, I also chose to limit the bellows extension of my design around using the 600mm Fujinon C as my longest lens on this format. This was a deliberate decision to keep the weight and bulk of the camera reasonable (and it still weighs 4 lbs. more than a 7x17 Chamonix). I have been happy with this compromise and have enjoyed using my camera with lenses from 240mm - 600mm. For my purposes, the 7x17 Chamonix works well with the same range of focal lengths (both cameras could also handle lenses considerably shorter than 240mm, but I don't own any that cover the format).
Obviously, anyone who wants to use longer lenses, or do close-ups with a 600mm lens, would be better served with a different (bigger, heavier, more expensive) camera. Horses for courses. Like the Phillips on which it is based, the Chamonix cameras are best suited to general purpose landscape photography where compact size and light weight take priority over maximum bellows extension.
The Chamonix ULF cameras and film holders are available in formats from 7x17 - 20x24 (including several formats never built by Phillips, or by Shen-Hao).
While we won't be giving them away, our goal is to keep the prices of the Chamonix ULF cameras and film holders as low as possible to allow more photographers the opportunity to enter the wonderful world of ULF photography. The goal is to get as many people as possible shooting ULF film. If we can help grow the market for ULF film, we all win. To that end, I wish all my competitors a successful and prosperous 2007. I hope you all sell as many cameras and holders as you can possibly build. What's good for you is good for me. We're all in this together.
My original intent was to review the 7x17 Chamonix camera and holders for View Camera magazine. Once Chamonix asked me to become their distributor, I was no longer an unbiased source. As much as I'd try to write a fair, honest, unbiased review, there would always be a fundamental, underlying conflict of interest in reviewing a product where I have a financial interest. So, I have sent the 7x17 Chamonix to Michael Mutmansky to review for the Mar/Apr issue of View Camera. Michael is also reviewing Richard Ritter's 7x17 for the same issue. It's not every day a new ULF camera comes to market. Personally, even if I wasn't involved with Chamonix, I would be very excited about the availability of TWO new ULF brands entering the marketplace. 2007 looks to be a great year for those practicing ULF photography, and those about to attempt it for the first time. I wish you all well.
Kerry
